Amsterdam Canal Dinner Cruises

Dinner on a boat, with the gabled houses and lit bridges of the canal ring sliding past the window. We compared four Amsterdam canal dinner cruises, from a pizza boat with free-flowing wine to a private boat with food from a city restaurant. Each one comes with its price and its catch.

  • Dark by dessert from October to MarchIn midsummer the sun sets around 10:00 pm, so an evening cruise sails in daylight
  • Drinks are not the same on every boatTwo of the four pour beer and wine at no extra cost; on the saloon boat you pay at the bar

In a hurry? Our top pick is the LOVERS dinner cruise with four courses: ~$99 a person for 2 hours, with beer, wine and soft drinks poured all evening. It scores 4.4 from 1,800+ reviews on GetYourGuide. Book it here.

Book on GetYourGuide Book on Viator

Compare all 4 cruises

If you only have a minute

Which Amsterdam canal dinner cruise should you book?

Say a friend arriving in Amsterdam for a long weekend asked us which dinner cruise to take. Over a beer on a canal-side terrace, this is what we would tell them.

For most people, the best Amsterdam canal dinner cruise is the LOVERS boat with a 4-course menu, from ~$99. It has the longest record of the four, 4.4 from 1,800+ reviews on GetYourGuide, and the price covers dinner plus beer, wine and soft drinks for two hours. Don't expect fine dining, because a few reviewers found their plates lukewarm.

Want a better kitchen and a quieter room? Rederij Aemstelland's classic saloon boat serves three courses for ~$134, with your wine on top. Stromma's pizza cruise at ~$39 is the cheap and cheerful one with drinks included, and Boat Boys rent you a whole boat with restaurant food from ~$432 for the group.

Every cruise here boards in the city center and ends where it began. Check what the evening really costs once drinks are counted and what lands on each plate, see how the two hours are spent, then read the small print we pulled out before you pay.

Our pick

The dinner cruise we would book: LOVERS, four courses

It is the most reviewed of the four and the easiest to budget, because the drinks are in the price. What it trades away is intimacy: this is a long shared boat, not a candlelit saloon.

A smiling LOVERS waitress holding two plates of starters on a glass-roofed dinner boat with orange seats Our pick

Dinner Cruise with 4-Course Menu and Drinks, LOVERS

★★★★☆ 4.4 from 1,800+ reviews on GetYourGuide · free cancellation up to 24 hours before

You check in inside the LOVERS café on Prins Hendrikkade, across the road from Centraal Station, and show the voucher on your phone. The boat leaves from the quay right outside. The listing names the seller as Tours & Tickets; the boats and the café carry the LOVERS name.

When you book, you choose one menu for your booking: meat, fish or vegetarian. All three start with bread and a green pea soup with grilled asparagus, and all three end with a tiramisu made with Dutch stroopwafels. In between come a starter and a main, such as smoked salmon and then cod in a lime beurre blanc.

Beer, wine and soft drinks keep coming for the full two hours, and the captain gives the commentary while steering. The route runs through the canal ring past the Skinny Bridge, the flower market and the Anne Frank House.

Duration
2 hours
On the water
A long glass-roofed canal boat with table service
Menu
4 courses; meat, fish or vegetarian, chosen when you book
Drinks
Beer, wine and soft drinks included, no limit
Boarding
LOVERS café, Prins Hendrikkade 25, opposite Centraal Station
Start
7:00 pm, Wednesday to Saturday on Viator
Limits
Not wheelchair accessible; window table not guaranteed
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours before
Price per person from ~$99 4 courses · drinks included · 2 hours
GetYourGuide Viator

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

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How the evening runs, step by step

This is the order the listings give. Traffic on the canals and the kitchen can shift the timing a little.

At Prins Hendrikkade

  • Check in inside the LOVERS café with your mobile voucher
  • Board the boat at the quay and find the table set for your booking
  • Bread with butter and oil arrives as the boat pulls away

Through the canal ring

  • Starter and pea soup past the Jordaan and along the Prinsengracht
  • The main course under the Skinny Bridge, with the captain's stories in between
  • Stroopwafel tiramisu, then back to Prins Hendrikkade after two hours

What the price covers

The fare pays for the cruise, the four courses and the drinks. A tip for the crew is up to you.

Included
  • Two-hour canal cruise with commentary
  • Four courses from the menu you picked
  • Beer, wine and soft drinks, no limit
Not included
  • Hotel pickup
  • Gratuities (optional)
  • A guaranteed window table
  • Mixing menus within one booking

Between us, before you go

If two of you want different menus, make two bookings under the same name. The crew then seats you together, which the booking form alone can't do.

Arrive a little early to the café, because early boarders get the pick of the window seats. Where every boat boards has the walk from Centraal Station for all four cruises.

Why it beats the pricier boats

Value you can count. At ~$99 with drinks poured all evening, it costs less than the saloon boat before the saloon boat's first glass of wine. Its 1,800+ GetYourGuide reviews also make it the safest bet on this page. Which cruises pour for free sets the four side by side.

What you give up is calm. The boat is big and shared, some tables get loud after the third glass, and a few guests wished their main course had come out hotter.

Who we would not send on it

Food lovers chasing a restaurant-grade dinner, who will be happier on Aemstelland's saloon boat. Families with small children, because two hours and four courses is long and the pizza cruise lasts ninety minutes. And couples after real privacy, who should look at a boat of their own.

Book it if

You want a proper sit-down dinner on the canals with no bar bill at the end. It suits first-time visitors, friends celebrating and anyone who likes knowing the full price before they board.

Skip it if

Ready for dinner on the water?

The cruise is on GetYourGuide (4.4 from 1,800+ reviews) and on Viator (4.2 from 500+). Both let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, and Viator lists a 7:00 pm start from Wednesday to Saturday.

GetYourGuide Viator

The light and the length

When to book an Amsterdam dinner cruise, and how long it lasts

All four cruises sail the same canals in the evening. The choices are the boat, the length and whether you share it with strangers.

Style · a seat on a shared boat

A table for your booking, others around you

LOVERS, Rederij Aemstelland, Stromma

1.5–2.25 hboard, eat as the canals pass, back to the same quay

Each booking gets its own table, served by a crew in a galley or by a restaurant on the way. The boats differ a lot, from a glass-roofed boat with long rows of tables to a wood-panelled saloon for twenty.

Style · the whole boat for your group

Your own captain, your own pace

Boat Boys, private dinner cruise

2–3 htwo courses ordered on board from the restaurant you chose

The price is for the boat, so it only makes sense for a couple marking a big night or a group splitting the bill. The captain doubles as your guide, and no one else boards.

Daylight and sunset in Amsterdam through the year

  • Hours of daylight, roughly
  1. Jan4:50pm sunset6 °C · 43 °F

    Dark from the first course, quiet canals

  2. Feb5:40pm sunset7 °C · 45 °F

    Lit bridges all evening, cold quays

  3. Mar6:30pm sunset10 °C · 50 °F

    Dusk as you board, dark by dessert

  4. Apr8:25pm sunset14 °C · 57 °F

    King's Day in late April fills boats

  5. May9:15pm sunset18 °C · 64 °F

    Golden light on the gables at dinner

  6. Jun10:05pm sunset20 °C · 68 °F

    Daylight the whole cruise long

  7. Jul9:55pm sunset22 °C · 72 °F

    Busy canals, warm evenings

  8. Aug9:00pm sunset22 °C · 72 °F

    Sunset falls during the main course

  9. Sep7:50pm sunset19 °C · 66 °F

    Mild air, the lights come on mid-cruise

  10. Oct6:40pm sunset15 °C · 59 °F

    Dark from the start, fewer crowds

  11. Nov4:50pm sunset10 °C · 50 °F

    Long dark evenings, rain likely

  12. Dec4:30pm sunset7 °C · 45 °F

    Winter lights along the water

Sunset times are rough mid-month figures for Amsterdam, and temperatures are rough daytime highs. The bars show hours of daylight. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick if you want the canals lit up during dinner; summer cruises sail in daylight instead. When to book, in detail.

How each cruise is spent

  • Boarding and first bites
  • The main part of the meal
  • Longer option on one partner

Total lengths come from the listings; the split between boarding and the main part of the meal is our rough estimate. Boat Boys also sells a 3-hour version on GetYourGuide.

  1. Check-inLOVERS checks you in inside its café; the others board straight from the quay. Be there 15 minutes early for Stromma, as its Viator listing asks. Every boarding point.
  2. First bitesA welcome glass of Prosecco on the saloon boat, bread and drinks on the LOVERS boat, nuts and a drink while Stromma collects the pizzas. The menus course by course.
  3. Through the canal ringThe boats wind under low bridges past the Skinny Bridge and the merchant houses, with the captain or a recording explaining what you pass. The boats compared.
  4. Back at the quayEvery cruise ends where it started, which makes it easy to plan a drink or a tram afterwards. Dessert comes last on the menu boats. When the canals look best.

On a tight budget? Stromma's pizza cruise at ~$39 pours wine and beer for ninety minutes, the cheapest evening on the water of the four.

How to choose

How to pick the right dinner boat

The canals are the same on all four. What differs is the boat around your table, what comes out of the kitchen and who pays for the wine.

The boat

Long glass-roofed boats for LOVERS and Stromma, a classic wood-panelled saloon for Aemstelland and small heated saloon boats for Boat Boys. What each one feels like.

On the plate

Four set courses on the LOVERS boat, three restaurant courses on the saloon boat, one New York pizza on Stromma and two à la carte courses on the private boat. Every menu we found.

Drinks

Beer, wine and soft drinks are included on LOVERS and Stromma. Aemstelland pours one welcome Prosecco and sells the rest on board. Who pours for free.

Budget

From ~$39 a person for the pizza cruise to ~$134 for the saloon boat before drinks, and ~$432 for a private boat. Every price in one table.

Boarding point

Three boats leave within a short walk of Centraal Station; Aemstelland boards on Zwanenburgwal near Nieuwmarkt. None includes hotel pickup. Where the boats board.

Diets and allergies

LOVERS has a vegetarian menu, Stromma two veggie pizzas and Boat Boys vegan dishes on its sample menu. Stromma serves nuts on board. Cruising with children.

Everything else to do in Amsterdam

The 4 cruises

Four ways to have dinner on the canals, side by side

We read the Amsterdam dinner cruise listings on both booking sites and kept one of each kind of evening. Each card gives the price and the length next to the boat company's name. It also names the catch, with a button for each site that sells it.

A waiter in a blue apron pouring wine for four guests at a table on a glass-roofed canal boat Our pick

Dinner Cruise with 4-Course Menu and Drinks, LOVERS

The dinner cruise we would book for a first evening in Amsterdam.

Two hours from Prins Hendrikkade, opposite Centraal Station, on a glass-roofed boat. You choose meat, fish or vegetarian when you book, and four courses follow, from pea soup to a stroopwafel tiramisu. Beer, wine and soft drinks are poured for the whole cruise.

  • Rating4.4 from 1,800+ on GetYourGuide, 4.2 from 500+ on Viator
  • Duration2 hours
  • Boat companyLOVERS (sold as Tours & Tickets)
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsDrinks included; three menus; the most reviews
  • Ideal forFirst-timers and friends celebrating

Good to know: One menu per booking, no window table guaranteed, and some reviewers found the food lukewarm. Viator lists Wednesday to Saturday only. The menus in full.

~$99per person
GetYourGuide Viator
Two women clinking wine glasses over plated main courses at a window table on a wooden saloon boat Best food

High-End 3-Course Dinner Canal Cruise, Rederij Aemstelland

The one for a special night, if the wine budget allows.

A classic saloon boat for at most twenty guests leaves Zwanenburgwal, near Nieuwmarkt, for 2 hours 15 minutes. Every party gets its own window table, a glass of Prosecco and small bites. The boat makes short stops at the restaurant Le Hollandais to collect each of the three courses warm.

  • Rating4.7 from 300+ on GetYourGuide, 4.6 from 100+ on Viator
  • Duration2 hours 15 minutes
  • Boat companyRederij Aemstelland
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsRestaurant cooking; window table; small group
  • Ideal forCouples, anniversaries and food lovers

Good to know: Drinks after the welcome glass are bought on board, so the bill grows with every bottle. Not wheelchair accessible. Saloon boat or glass roof.

~$134per person
GetYourGuide Viator
Four friends laughing over pizzas and drinks on a glass-roofed boat, brick canal houses outside Lowest price

Original Pizza Dinner Cruise with Unlimited Drinks, Stromma

Pizza, wine and the canal ring in ninety minutes.

The boat leaves Damrak Pier 4, a three-minute walk from Centraal Station, for 1.5 hours. You pick one New York Pizza from five, collected on the way and served hot. Wine, beer and soft drinks are unlimited, and the boat has Wi-Fi and a toilet.

  • Rating4.5 from 3,100+ on GetYourGuide, 4.3 from 1,100+ on Viator
  • Duration1.5 hours
  • Boat companyStromma
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsLowest price; drinks included; easy with kids
  • Ideal forFamilies and groups of friends on a budget

Good to know: One pizza each, and several guests wanted more commentary about the sights. Nuts are served on board. Only one booking sits at one table. With children on board.

~$39per person
GetYourGuide Viator
Three diners sharing plates at a window table in a small wooden boat, a canal bridge outside No strangers

Private Dinner Cruise with Restaurant Food, Boat Boys

A boat, a captain and a menu for your group alone.

Your group picks a city restaurant ahead of the evening, and once aboard everyone orders two courses from its menu. The covered, heated saloon boats leave Oosterdokskade, next to the floating Sea Palace restaurant, for two hours. The captain is your guide.

  • Rating5.0 from 73 reviews on Viator, 5.0 from 3 on GetYourGuide
  • Duration2 hours (3 hours also on GetYourGuide)
  • Boat companyBoat Boys
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsNo strangers; restaurant food; a perfect score
  • Ideal forProposals, birthdays and groups up to twelve

Good to know: The price is for the boat, not per seat. The two listings describe the drinks differently, so read the one you book. Not wheelchair accessible. Private boat or shared.

~$432for the boat
Viator GetYourGuide

Honest note: the GetYourGuide and Viator buttons are affiliate links. Booking through them sends us a small commission and costs you nothing extra. It never decides which cruise we recommend.

Before you go

Eight things about dinner cruises that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page. Each one can decide whether your evening ends with a warm dessert and a lit bridge, or a surprise bar bill and a cold walk back.

What you should know

  1. Count the drinks before the price. The saloon boat's fare covers one welcome glass. On LOVERS and Stromma the wine keeps coming at no extra cost, which narrows the gap fast. Drinks included or extra.
  2. One menu per booking. On the LOVERS boat a booking carries a single menu. Book meat and fish separately under the same name, and the crew seats you together. The menus in full.
  3. Book as one party to sit together. Stromma fixes its seating plan before departure, and only guests on the same booking share a table. Cruising as a family.
  4. Window seats are not promised. LOVERS says so plainly. Aemstelland gives every party a window table, which is part of what the higher price buys. Saloon boat or glass roof.
  5. Nut allergies and the pizza boat. Stromma puts nuts and peanuts out on board, so its listing calls the cruise unsuitable for nut allergies. Tell the crew on the other boats when you board. What each kitchen serves.
  6. The same cruise, two prices. LOVERS costs a little more on Viator than on GetYourGuide, and GetYourGuide sometimes shows a reduced price next to a struck-through one. Check both buttons. Every price compared.
  7. Wet quays, low bridges. You step down into the boat from a stone quay that is often damp. Flat shoes and a coat you can carry make the boarding easier. What to wear.
  8. No pickup on any of the four. All four start in the center, three of them near Centraal Station. Plan your tram or walk with ten minutes to spare. Where the boats board.

Everything in one table

Four dinner cruises, catch included

The four cruises side by side. Each row sets the strength of a cruise against its catch.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Cruise Ideal for Price Length Food and drink Boat company and rating Strength and catch Book
LOVERS 4-course dinner (our pick) A full dinner with no bar bill ~$99per person 2 h 4 courses; beer, wine and soft drinks included LOVERS
4.4 on GetYourGuide		 Drinks in the price, three menus. Big shared boat; plates can arrive lukewarm.
GetYourGuideViator
Aemstelland saloon boat A special night out ~$134per person 2 h 15 Prosecco, bites, 3 courses; other drinks paid Rederij Aemstelland
4.7 on GetYourGuide		 Restaurant food, window table, twenty guests at most. The priciest, before the wine.
GetYourGuideViator
Stromma pizza cruise Families and budgets ~$39per person 1.5 h 1 pizza; wine, beer and soft drinks included Stromma
4.5 on GetYourGuide		 Cheapest, toilet and Wi-Fi on board. One pizza; thin commentary.
GetYourGuideViator
Boat Boys private cruise Groups and big occasions ~$432for the boat 2–3 h 2 courses à la carte; drinks differ by listing Boat Boys
5.0 on Viator		 Your own boat and captain. Only pays off split among a group.
ViatorGetYourGuide

Prices are "from" rates in US dollars, per person except the private boat, and they shift often, so the booking page has the final say. The Book buttons are affiliate links that help keep this guide free, and your price stays the same.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who dined on the water

Travelers who sailed on a dry, clear evening and some who boarded in the rain, on what won them over and what they would do differently.

★★★★★4 courses, drinks included

We booked the fish menu and my sister the vegetarian one, as two bookings under the same name, and the crew had us at one table as promised. The smoked salmon was the best course of the evening. The captain steered and talked at the same time, mostly jokes about the crooked houses, and our glasses never stayed empty for long. By the stroopwafel tiramisu it was fully dark and the bridges were lit.

KMKatrin M. · Hamburg, GermanyDry evening
★★★★★4 courses, drinks included

Four courses, wine on tap, two hours of canals. For the price we could not have asked for more.

JRJames R. · Leeds, UKDry evening
★★★★☆4 courses, drinks included

Good evening, friendly staff and the drinks are a real bargain. My beef casserole arrived warm rather than hot, which is the only reason for four stars. Get to the café early if you want a window seat.

ELElena L. · Seville, SpainRainy evening
★★★★★4 courses, drinks included

Rain all evening, and it did not matter at all under the glass roof. The soup came out steaming.

TSTomasz S. · Kraków, PolandRainy evening
★★★★★4 courses, drinks included

We came straight from the train, checked in at the café across from the station and were on the water ten minutes later. The vegetarian menu was more interesting than I expected, especially the lasagna. Some tables at the back got loud as the wine flowed, so if you want to hear the commentary, sit near the front. Still the easiest good dinner we had in Amsterdam.

ABAmira B. · Toronto, CanadaDry evening
★★★★★Saloon boat, 3 courses

Our anniversary dinner. Window table, white cloth, Prosecco, and the boat paused to collect each course.

DCDiane C. · Boston, USADry evening
★★★★★Saloon boat, 3 courses

I am fussy about food on boats, because it is usually reheated. Here the boat stops at the restaurant and someone runs the plates on board, so the seabass was hot and the risotto still loose. There were maybe fifteen of us in a wooden saloon with a window for every table. Wine is extra and not cheap, so decide on a bottle early instead of ordering by the glass.

SPStefano P. · Turin, ItalyDry evening
★★★★☆Saloon boat, 3 courses

Beautiful old boat and lovely cooking. The bar bill came as a surprise because I assumed wine was in the price. Read the listing and budget for drinks.

GHGrace H. · Melbourne, AustraliaRainy evening
★★★★★Saloon boat, 3 courses

Booked it for my parents' fortieth wedding anniversary. The crew knew and brought the dessert with a candle without making a fuss. The route along the Amstel past the Skinny Bridge was quieter than the busy canals near the station, and the boat felt like a private dining room. Not a budget night, but it was the right night for it.

NVNoor V. · Utrecht, NetherlandsDry evening
★★★★★Pizza, drinks included

Pizza, cold beer and the canals in an hour and a half. The kids loved it, and so did we.

BOBen O. · Dublin, IrelandDry evening
★★★★★Pizza, drinks included

We were six friends on one booking and had our own table, with drinks topped up constantly. The pizzas arrived hot halfway through, which was more fun than I thought it would be. Easy boarding a few minutes from Centraal Station.

LWLena W. · Vienna, AustriaDry evening
★★★★☆Pizza, drinks included

Great value and the crew were cheerful, but the commentary was thin and we often did not know what we were passing. One pizza each is enough for a light dinner, not a big one. With children it is ideal, as there is a toilet and the trip is short. For an adults' evening I would pay more for a proper menu next time.

CRCarlos R. · Mexico City, MexicoRainy evening
★★★★★Pizza, drinks included

The Margherita was simple and hot, and the wine kept coming. Good first evening in town.

MFMei F. · SingaporeDry evening
★★★★★Private boat, 2 courses

Ten colleagues, one boat, no strangers. We each ordered our own two courses and the captain told stories between bridges.

HJHenrik J. · Copenhagen, DenmarkDry evening
★★★★★Private boat, 2 courses

I proposed on this boat. I messaged the company after booking and they could not have been more helpful about the timing. It was just the two of us and the captain, with dinner from a restaurant we had picked the day before. Expensive for two people, yes, but I would not change a thing about that evening.

RTRachel T. · Austin, USADry evening
★★★★☆Private boat, 2 courses

The food was excellent and the boat warm and cosy even in the drizzle. Read the drinks section of your listing carefully, because what was included was not what we had assumed. Shared between eight of us, the price was fair.

OKOlga K. · Riga, LatviaRainy evening

Back on dry land?

Help the next traveler choose

How was the food, how were the drinks poured, and did the canals look the way you hoped? The good courses and the lukewarm ones both help someone else decide.

Stars out of five
The weather that evening

At least 40 characters, 40 to go

Table for two, or ten

Book the LOVERS dinner cruise for your evening

If you have one evening for dinner on the Amsterdam canals, we would book the LOVERS four-course cruise. You know the full price before you board, and the wine is poured until the boat is back at the quay.

Cancelling is free until 24 hours before. Pick your menu when you book, arrive early for a window seat and bring a layer for the walk along the water.

~$99

per person · 2 hours · from Prins Hendrikkade

GetYourGuide Viator
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Four courses, three menus to choose from
  • ✓ Beer, wine and soft drinks included
  • ✓ Boards opposite Centraal Station

Good to know

The canals you dine on, and what you pass

Five minutes of reading turns the view from your table into a story you can follow between courses.

The canals of Amsterdam were dug mostly in the 17th century, when the city grew rich on trade. Three main canals, the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht, ring the old center in half circles. The canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is the stretch every dinner boat here sails through.

01Merchant houses with hooks

The tall, narrow houses along the water were homes and warehouses at once. Many still have a beam with a hook under the gable, used to hoist goods to the upper floors because the staircases were too steep. Look up between courses and you will spot them.

02The Skinny Bridge on the Amstel

The Magere Brug, the Skinny Bridge, is a white wooden drawbridge over the Amstel. At night its outline is picked out in small lights, which is why so many dinner routes pass under it. A dinner cruise for two.

03Bridges low enough to touch

Amsterdam has more bridges than most visitors expect, many of them low stone arches. Canal boats are built long and flat to fit under them, which is why dinner boats look the way they do. Saloon boat or glass roof.

The moment most guests remember is not a course but a bridge: the boat slowing under a lit arch while the glasses go quiet.

04Houseboats and the flower market

Thousands of people live on the water in houseboats moored along the quays. The Bloemenmarkt on the Singel is a flower market whose stalls stand on boats, a leftover from the days when flowers arrived by water.

05Why winter suits a dinner cruise

From October to March the sun has set before most dinner boats leave, so the whole meal passes under lit bridges and windows. In winter the city also hangs light artworks along the canals for the Amsterdam Light Festival. When to book the cruise.

06Rain on the glass

Dinner boats are covered and most are heated, so a wet evening rarely stops a cruise. The rain on the roof can even add to the mood, but the walk to the quay is where you get wet. What to wear on board.

17th c.When most of the canal ring was dug

4Dinner cruises compared on this page

1.5–2.25 hLength of the shared dinner cruises

24 hFree cancellation before every cruise

Traveling with children? Our guide With children on board sets out which cruise works for which age.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about Amsterdam canal dinner cruises

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

How much does an Amsterdam canal dinner cruise cost?

The shared cruises on this page start at ~$39 per person for Stromma's pizza cruise. The LOVERS four-course cruise costs ~$99 and Aemstelland's saloon boat ~$134, plus drinks. A private Boat Boys cruise starts at ~$432 for the boat. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which Amsterdam dinner cruise should I pick?

For most visitors, the LOVERS four-course cruise, because drinks are included and it has 1,800+ reviews on GetYourGuide. If the food matters most, take Aemstelland's saloon boat. Families and tight budgets do best on Stromma's pizza cruise.

Are drinks included?

On two of the four. LOVERS and Stromma pour beer, wine and soft drinks with no limit. Aemstelland serves a welcome glass of Prosecco and sells the rest on board, and the two Boat Boys listings describe their drinks differently. Drinks included or extra.

How long does a dinner cruise take?

Ninety minutes on the pizza cruise, two hours on the LOVERS boat and on the Boat Boys private boat, and two hours fifteen minutes on Aemstelland's saloon boat. Boat Boys also sells a three-hour version on GetYourGuide.

Where do the boats leave from?

LOVERS checks you in at its café on Prins Hendrikkade, opposite Centraal Station. Stromma boards at Damrak Pier 4, Aemstelland at Zwanenburgwal 20 near Nieuwmarkt, and Boat Boys at Oosterdokskade 8. Every boarding point.

What time do dinner cruises start?

Evening departures are the norm. The only start time printed on the listings we read is 7:00 pm for the LOVERS cruise on Viator, which runs Wednesday to Saturday there. The booking calendar shows the times on your date.

Is there a vegetarian option?

Yes. LOVERS offers a full vegetarian menu, Stromma has a Margherita and a Californian Veggie pizza, and the Boat Boys sample menu includes vegan dishes. Aemstelland's sample menu lists a vegetarian starter and gnocchi as a main. What you eat on board.

Can children come?

Yes. The pizza cruise is the easiest with children, with colouring sheets for kids and a toilet on board. On the LOVERS boat, children aged three or under go free on a lap. With children on board.

Is there a dress code?

None of the listings states one. Smart casual fits the saloon boat and a private cruise, and anything goes on the pizza boat. Flat shoes and a warm layer help on the walk along the quay. What to wear on board.

Will I get a window seat?

On Aemstelland's saloon boat every party sits at a window table. LOVERS says a window table is not guaranteed, and Stromma sets its seating plan before departure. Arriving early helps on the shared boats.

Are the boats wheelchair accessible?

The LOVERS, Aemstelland and Boat Boys listings say they are not suitable for wheelchair users. The Stromma listing we read does not say either way, so ask the operator before you book.

What if it rains?

The dinner boats are covered and most are heated, so rain rarely stops a cruise. Bring an umbrella for the walk to the quay. If the operator cancels, the listing's policy decides between a refund and a new date.

Is a private dinner cruise worth the price?

For a group or a big occasion, often yes. Split the boat price by your party and compare it with the per-person fares on the shared boats. For two people on a normal night, a shared cruise costs far less. Private boat or shared.

Can I cancel for free?

Usually. The listings we checked allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before, but confirm it on yours at checkout. GetYourGuide also lets you reserve now and pay later on these cruises.

Read before you travel

Guides to dinner on the canals

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.